


Big Bad Monsters

by Naferty



Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Creatures & Monsters, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Medieval, Centaur Thor, Elf Wanda and Pietro Maximoff, Everyone is a monster, Everything is Everywhere, F/M, Fairy Janet Van Dyne, Fantasy, Fluff, Fluff everywhere, Harpy Clint Barton, Hybrid Peter Parker, Irregular World Building, Kid Fic, M/M, Monsters, Naga Loki, Or as Medieval as I can write, Orc Rhodey, Satyr Hank Pym, Siren Natasha Romanov, Vampire Tony Stark, Witch Pepper Potts, seriously, werewolf bruce banner
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-14
Updated: 2015-08-25
Packaged: 2018-04-14 17:59:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4574340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Naferty/pseuds/Naferty
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve had seen many things since serving in the army and fighting in the war but no amount of training would have ever prepared him for this.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Mansion

Steve eyed every tree, every bush and every stone with a sharp glare as he continued to march. His ears were straining from trying to listen to every noise that broadcast through the forest. Every little noise from leaves being crushed to dirt splitting under a heavy weight had the possibility of being an enemy hiding behind, waiting to strike on the opportune moment.

Months of training as a soldier had sharpened his skills and strengthened his body. He could hold his own against armored enemies no problem and strategize his men to attack and win almost every battle. There was nothing in the forest that he wasn’t prepared for. Nothing. But that didn’t mean he was invincible or completely wiped away the possibility of getting outmaneuvered; which is why he walked ahead and scouted the area while his men rested.

He searched a complete circle around the camp, stopping when he came across a clearing that opened up a spot through the trees and allowed him to see the night sky and clear stars. To the side there was a crystal river running smoothly and shining from the light of the moon. With everyday spent on high alert for danger it was nice to find a chance and relax, even for a split second.

Footsteps echoed through the trees. The sounds of grass and dried leaves crunching under boots. On instinct Steve reacted, grabbing the handle of his sword but not exactly pulling it, in case the one wearing the boots turned out to be a friendly. Even before the figure entered the clearing he stood in Steve relaxed his stance and smiled when Bucky appeared.

“There is a reason why scouting requires two to buddy up instead of just one self-sacrificing soldier,” Bucky said, frowning, “I could have been anyone, Steve.”

“But you aren’t. How is the group?”

“Knocked out and snoring. Sam is keeping watch and Peggy is making sure none of their injuries bristle.”

“Did one of them lie?” Steve smirked. Leave it to his men to try and act strong in front of Peggy. They’ll soon learn that keeping information to themselves will end badly for them, especially if it’s from Peggy.

“Two of them already soiled their breeches,” Bucky grinned.

“Guess those two will be traveling the back,” he gave a quick turn when a gust of wind rustled the branches and as if on cue the sounds of wolves howling echoed with it, “and they better make sure their wounds are wrapped up tight.” Steve gazed at his friend, “How’s yours?”

Bucky tensed, turning his head and upper body to show Steve. He rolled his shoulder that now lacked the arm and winced at the shadowed pain of not having anything there to move. The bleeding had stopped and there were no signs of any sort of infection, but even so Bucky shouldn’t be out in the open and moving around, but who was going to stop him? Certainly not Steve.

“If I had my arm it would be better. How is your breathing?”

“Still going,” Steve took a breath to show it, coughing only two times to reveal his troubles.

This was their group. It was a group of wounded soldiers who got injured in the front lines and were now being sent back home to either rest, heal and get sent back to war or rest, heal and get dismissed with war honors. Steve, currently ex-captain now, was the leader responsible for making sure the group got back in one piece with minimal damage. Steve found he was both lucky and not for being in the group. Lucky because it was the group that held his closest friends; Bucky, Peggy and Sam were here present and alive. Not lucky because it meant his hard earned title of Captain was going to be taken away and possibly never returned.

Out of everyone consisting in the group that had injuries ranging from slashes to missing limbs or even a missing eye, Steve, Sam and Peggy looked to be the healthiest. Sam and Peggy had a broken leg and broken arm that were on their way to being healed completely. Bucky, like mentioned before, had his arm missing. Steve, who had no visible injury on him, actually had trouble internally. Sometime during a planned strike in the early winter season Steve had contracted an illness. A fierce cold, many thought, but turned out to be much more. The illness strained his body and damaged his lungs, causing his breathing to be near impossible to accomplish. It was thanks to Peggy and her knowledge of herbs that managed to help him fight it off but the harm was already done. Now Steve was lucky if he could manage to run for more than seven minutes without coughing up a lung at the end of it.

Not fit for battle Steve was ordered to return back with the first winter group as soon as possible. Bucky joined him, having healed enough to make the trip. Sam and Peggy as well.

Now the group was two days away from reaching their home, and even though Steve was no longer a captain he was going to make sure all his men, and Peggy, were going to make it all in one peace with every limb they still had in place.

Steve and Bucky headed back to the group. There was a rustle in the bushes to their left and Steve snapped to it like a dog finding game. When nothing else occurred they continued walking but Steve didn’t look forward, keeping his eyes searching.

“Think we’ll get a welcome home celebration when we get back?” Steve asked, refusing to look away.

Bucky having gotten the clue mimicked him and searched the dark area to their right, keeping vigilant. “There better be a lot of beer if there is.”

Steve hummed in response, the feeling of impending danger growing with every step they took. Another rustle and Steve knew they were not alone. He grabbed the handle of his sword and unsheathed it halfway. Bucky, seeing his action, grabbed his shield with his only arm.

A snap of a twig and they jumped into action. From the bushes that rustled a man jumped out, masked and wearing animal skin. From behind him two more followed. They all cried and Steve struck. With his sword he blocked the swing from the first man using daggers. He pulled his shield to block the second dagger, staggering when a second man followed suit and added pressure against the shield.

To his side he heard Bucky grunting and the sounds of iron against iron, a sword striking a shield. Further down the road they were taking he heard faint screams and cries and swords colliding and his heart sank. The group was being attacked as well and he knew they were in danger. They were wounded soldiers at the mercy of bandits and from the look of how these three men worked together against him Steve knew they were no ordinary bandits that struck just from the chance of it. This was planned.

Steve needed to push through and help Bucky so they could return back to camp and make sure their friends were still alive and fighting but with three men against him striking at all angles it was impossible to even take a step forward. They danced around him, causing him to take steps back and before he knew it Bucky was a fair distance away and the screams of his men were long gone. He was pushed back to the clearing. The stars he looked up to that were a sign of beauty before were now lights illuminating their suffering, laughing at their misfortune. The river that shined like crystal now looked to have blood running down to the darkness of the forest. Steve was on the edge of it. On the verge of joining the blood and letting it swept him away to nowhere.

Bucky screamed and Steve, accepting the odds against him and his fate, looked to him to at least see his friend alive one last time. How had things gone so wrong so quickly? They had nothing for these bandits to take and yet they continued to fight, and they were winning.

Bucky was on the floor, holding his shield up to continue blocking any hits and kicking when the opening was present. Steve tried crying his name out but the man that was first to attack kicked his shin and then aimed for his knee, toppling him down and another bandit, he didn’t see which one, slammed the handle of their dagger at the base of his skull. Blackness surrounded him in an instance and the last thing he noticed were his lungs filling with water and the sounds of wolves that were not wolves howling right next to him.

~~

 

The sound of his own choking breathing was what woke Steve up and with a ripple his eyes snapped open. He rolled to his side and began heaving, coughing and throwing up the water that filled his lungs and even when he emptied he continued to heave. His head was buzzing and hurting and the world around him spun. 

Even when the heaving finally stopped he refused to open his eyes, in fear that his lungs decided to continue. His face touched soft and wet soil. Sand, he figured. He could hear water running and when he opened one eye just enough he saw the makings of tiny waves. The river then.

The land stopped moving and oh so slowly he lifted his head and opened his eyes fully. He was next to the river that expanded and looked almost like a lake. Over the distance beyond the body of water he saw mountains, tall mountains that men knew to keep an eye for. The North Mountains, the mountains designated to line where forbidden land was located. Steve was facing the wrong side of the mountain. The shape that it always created was not there. The mountain was different and fear began to swell in his chest. The river must have washed him up north, further than what men were allowed to walk safely.

He was in northern territory. He was in monster territory.  

Steve clutched his chest. His lungs were straining and in pain from having water in them. He assessed his person. He was still wearing his armor and it surprised him that he didn’t sink like a stone when he fell in the river. He didn’t have his sword or his shield but he still had his knife that he tucked in his belt and he had his pouch with the few coins he carried. His knife could only protect him so much and the coins he figured were absolutely useless here. He didn’t think monsters bargained for merchandise.

The odds were not in his favor. Steve figured, if everything was done correctly, he might survive a day or two if he didn’t run into any monsters. If he did then surely he was dead within sight. If that was his fate he was not going sit and wait without a fighting chance.

He stood up with his legs trembling. If he had two days of a chance to possibly survive then he needed to get as much distance between him and the river and back to the southern land. The closer to human territory the higher the chance he could survive. He needed to get back to his friends. He needed to see if they survived the ambush, if Bucky was still breathing and Sam was still walking and Peggy was still scolding the men because of their stubborn pride. He just needed to know they were still alive.

With his heart hammering against his chest and his lungs struggling he marched, following the river. It was the river that brought him this far, surely it would take him back. Every minute he walked an injury to his leg began growing stronger in pain. It was the shin that the bandit had kicked and it was shocking that they managed to actually harm him through his armor. It wasn’t broken but clearly the bandit did more than simply bruised it. Steve pushed forward.

The sun was right at the center of the sky, beating down on his face but he didn’t feel the heat of it. Winter was stronger higher in the land but it was still early for the snow to be present. Still, Steve was shivering. Water held to his shirt and hair and the gust of cold wind chilled it to his bones. He started to cough as time continued. His lungs working overtime and his body trembling.

The river never looked to change in any way and the mountains remained the same distance as the sun descended. His breathing turned heavy, air struggling to get inside his body. Every step turned agonizing the farther he went and when the sun finally disappeared from the sky every step brought with it terror and the possibility of running into a creature he was never prepared to face.

He was out in the open space following the river. The forest that ran for miles was to the side, within running distance if he decided to take shelter in the shadows. If he was in land of men then his chances of taking shelter in the forest and surviving was high, but in monster land who knew what was lurking in the bushes. He needed to start a fire to warm up for the night and dry the water off his skin. He had a choice between making temporary shelter next to the river out in the open or making shelter in the forest crawling with shadows and have cover. Either way he would be hunted by the unknown.

Steve took a shuddering breath and grabbed his knife. In order to start a fire he needed wood and while there were twigs surrounding him they were all wet from the river. Into the forest it was. His heart was on the verge of coming out his chest when he took his first step next to a tree trunk and entered the forest. His eyes adjusted and his ears listened to every single sound. He walked further in, looking for the perfect spot to hide from sight and build a small fire. Focused on his surroundings the pain in his leg and lungs and his body shivering was momentarily forgotten.

Trees after trees he passed, all looking the same and none giving any sense of direction. Any twigs he saw that looked decent he grabbed. Slowly he gained a pile in his arms until he could not carry any more. Still, he continued walking. The perfect spot had to be somewhere. The perfect shelter.

The forest was eerily quiet even with his fumbling through and then he came upon a fallen log. He walked around it carefully and found on the other side of the log there was flatted soil with no grass that ran across from him. A road. Steve found a road that looked to have been built on purpose. There were no trees in the way of the soil and footprints were present. The road looked recently used.

His body turned cold, colder than what the winds managed. There was something nearby.

On cue he heard rustling behind him and he nearly dropped his knife on the spot. His instinct to fight or flight kicked in and after evaluating his situation and terror blinding his senses and his injuries feeling like they doubled his body decided on flight. He sprinted down the road, praying it led somewhere he could escape to, blindly hoping that somehow there was a human civilization that were trained to handle monsters and could help him.

None of that were on the end. Instead, as he continued running without looking back, he came upon a building. No, not just a simple building, he came upon a mansion. A grand mansion that looked to be recently made. Steve nearly sagged in relief from the sight, still running for his life. A mansion meant humans and humans meant help. He ran for the double doors only to find it locked. He slammed against it but it held firmed. Desperate he slammed again and again, gaining hope when he saw the hinges start to give in. When he heard rustling inches behind him he jumped and kicked his uninjured leg against the doors and nearly cried with happiness when they broke open. He quickly ran inside and slammed them shut, frantically searching for anything to use to keep it from opening. Nothing was within reach so he used his body to hold it close.

His heart was beating in his ears and his lungs were burning. Now that he stopped he noticed his breathing was erratic. Hardly any air was going inside his body, his lungs were desperate to breathe. Black spots started forming in his sight. The wooden brown door slowly melting away. He didn’t have the energy to fight or to even calm his body. In the back of his mind he thought the absurdity of dying because of his own body’s fault. It wasn’t in battle, it wasn’t by a monster, and it wasn’t even by nature like the river. No, it was his own body that couldn’t handle being pushed to the limit.

His sight was nearly all black when, from behind him, he heard a voice that caused the final stop of his heart.

“You’re not supposed to be here, Human.”

For the second time in a short span he blacked out.

~~

 

Tony studied the passed out human on his polished floor. The frantic heartbeat that nearly caused him to go deaf caused him worry and even now, with the human unmoving, the heart was beating far too slow for it to be normal. The human’s breathing was also on the bothersome side. It sounded hoarse and was bluntly a noise that was meant for someone on the verge of death.

The human dying would solve the issue of having a human in the mansion but the issue about how the human even found his way here remained. Tony couldn’t risk the possibility of this human having friends waiting to strike. He needed answers and he needed them now. He also needed to call his scouts and to have Pepper and Bruce look over the fallen human.

First things first, get the human checked. Tony opened up his connection through his mind and reached out for the wolf and the witch.

“ _Bruce, Pepper_ ,” he said mentally, “ _I need you both to come down to the entrance. Now. We have an issue._ ”

Pepper was the first to respond, naturally, “ _On my way_.”

Bruce came later, and even through his mind Tony could hear him running down the hall, “ _What’s going on?_ ”

“ _We have an intruder_.”

Bruce appeared next to him in an instant, having run down to reach the place. He was breathing heavily and was bearing his fangs, snarling when he saw the slumbering human. His werewolf instincts itching to rip him apart no doubt.

“Easy, Bruce. He’s already down,” Tony tried calming him.

“How did a human even get in here?” Bruce took a deep breath, his voice gruff and dense.

“Found him down the road. He came running up here and slammed open the door.”

“A human managed that?” Bruce sounded skeptical. Tony understood why. If he hadn’t had witnessed it firsthand he wouldn’t believe it either.

“Saw the whole thing.”

Pepper’s boots echoed against the wooden floor, coming closer and louder until she was standing next to them. She didn’t bat an eye when she saw the figure on the ground. “A human? How did he get this far north?”

“Don’t know. I’m planning on finding out but his heart sounds weak and his breathing isn’t right.”

“He’s dying then,” Pepper kneeled down next to the man. She held a hand over the body and pulled out her wand, both glowing and shining a light over every inch of it. “He carries bruises and his lungs have small amounts of water,” she revealed.

Bruce got closer and sniffed, snorting at something Tony was sure to be foul and not good, “There’s an infection inside. It’s dim but it’s present.”

“Will it gain hold?” Tony felt pity for the human. Dying from his own body’s harm, what a way to go.

“It’s weak at the moment, but his body has no strength to fight it. He will need the strongest potion we have. I’m guessing you want us to save him,” Bruce gave him a knowing glance.

“You’d be right. I want to know how a human got this close and if he has friends out there. Heal the illness or anything that could cause him to drop dead. Injuries leave them alone, in case he decides to fight or escape.”

Pepper raised an eyebrow, “You think he’s capable of that?”

Tony shrugged, “He managed to break down the door on his own with injuries and an illness present. Who knows what he can do healthy.”

Both her eyebrows shot up, “Impressive.”

“Take him over to your heal room. Give him something to keep him sleeping. Don’t take your eyes off him.”

They nodded, “Understood.”

Bruce kneeled down and, grimacing, flipped the human so he laid on his back and squeezed his arms under him. He lifted him up without trouble and walked off, snarling every step of the way and muttering things about “humans reeking something foul,” causing Tony to grin.

Pepper remained behind to ask Tony, “What will you do?”

“I’m going to have a chat with our favorite orc. We need to double our scouting if humans finally managed to find us.”

“Will you warn the others?”

“Only the ones that need to know. We can’t let this spread to the town. It can and will cause chaos. Nobody touches the human, not until I find out everything.”

Pepper’s lips quirked up, “Not even Natasha? She’s going to be mad if you don’t let her have a go. You know how sirens are.”

Tony grinned, his sharp canines shining, “She’ll have to settle for seconds. I’ll let her have a crack at it if I don’t get anything. You know us vampires, we always love going first and get cranky when we don’t.”

She nodded and placed a warm hand on his shoulder. “Go easy on Rhodey.”

“I always am,” Tony opened the connection to him and Rhodes when Pepper disappeared down the hall going after Bruce, “ _Rhodey I need you to grab Thor and Clint and come to the mansion. I’m waiting by the front door_.”

He felt worry come across Rhode’s end, “ _Something wrong? Clint is scouting the eastern side. I have Thor and we’re heading over_.”

“ _We have an issue. A very human issue. I’ll get Clint shortly but get here as soon as you can_.” Tony closed that end and opened up his mind to the harpy. “ _Clint I need you to report to the mansion, front door. Get here now._ ”

He felt humor on the other end and received a “ _On it, Chief_.”

Clint was the first to arrive. No surprise there seeing as the harpy was one of the quickest and sharpest of the group. Thor came up next, his tail flicking anxiously and his hooves scraping the wood from having skidded inside to a stop. Tony made a mental note to improve the centaur hoof resistant flooring in the near future. Rhodey came shortly after.

“What’s going on, Tones?” Rhodey stood up straight, his lower fangs scraping against the skin on his lips.

“Aye, you called on us suddenly,” Thor was gripping his hammer forcefully, turning his knuckles white. “Has something occurred?”

Tony nodded gravely, “A human has.”

Clint and Thor were not expecting it, but Rhodey, having been told already, looked grim. They remained quiet. Clint broke the silence by asking, “Have they been taken care of?”

“No, Bruce and Pepper are looking over him as we speak.” Tony held a hand up when they looked about to protest, “They are checking him for an illness. I need him alive so we can get information out of him. There might be others out there still searching. By some miracle this one managed to find us. I won’t risk anymore doing so.”

“From which way did he arrive?” Clint swayed his arms slightly; the wings connected moving with the motion. His feathers bristled.

“He came from the south. I found him stumbling near the road and he bolted up here. Knocked the door open.”

The three mimicked Bruce and Pepper’s reactions. “Really?” Rhodey said.

Tony gestured to the door that they hadn’t noticed was broken open. “I’m going to have to reinforce it tonight. The human is being handled right now and I need you three to inform the others. Keep an extra eye out. Double the scouting,” he ordered Rhodey who nodded, “don’t let any of this reach the town. I don’t want panic to happen.”

“Who should we inform?” Clint asked.

“The usual. Tell Sif and the Warriors Three and also Loki,” Tony said to Thor. “Don’t let anyone scout alone. Pair them in two. Clint you inform the elf twins and Jan. Rhodey you get everyone moving. I want all sides scouted, every rock turned and every citizen in.”

The three nodded and took off. Tony rubbed his brow as he watched them go. With those three taking over the scouting and the docs fixing up the human there was nothing else for him to do but get the door back up. For now all he could do was get the two standing and fix the lock as best as he could. The hinges will need to be replaced and the wood shaved to look presentable again.

When that was finished he decided to return to his room and check on someone. After the encounter with the human he felt rattled and thrown off and needed the security that his little one could give him. Now, however, with the danger present in their home, he felt the last thing he’d want was to expose his son.

Breathing through his nose caused him to smell the human. Bruce had inquired the human smelled horrible but Tony found he actually smelled sweet, almost blossoming with a hint of fresh grass. He breathed it in until the smell ran out and Tony found he craved it and wished for more.

Strange how this man’s smell captivated him.


	2. The Interrogation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seduction is the best method.

When Steve woke up again it wasn’t to his own breathing or to throwing up lungs full of water. He woke up upright with his arms hanging over his head and his legs chained to the wall, wrapped around his ankles by iron. His arms were tied in a similar fashion together, which he found odd because his armor usually prevented his arms from coming so close together. He looked down on his person and realized he had no armor, none whatsoever. He was shirtless, chest exposed, nothing on his legs to cover his skin and only had his shorts he wore under his armor. His body shivered even though there was no breeze.

The room he was chained to didn’t look like the typical holding chamber enemies would use to torture their prisoners. The walls were the typical stone make as was the floor but the strange thing was they were all polished. As if décor was the most important thing about prisoner holding. To the side there was a wooden bed with soft looking blankets and nothing else. An empty chamber with one piece of furniture that he might not even use, considering the chains that held him were on tight, could only mean one thing. He was captured, almost completely naked and will be tortured for information.

Steve hung his head in defeat and breathed in, accepting his fate for the third time as the end. When he noticed that he didn’t go into a coughing fit his head shot up and he took an even deeper breath to confirm it. Again there was no coughing and he took a third, not believing it. He continued to a fourth and then a fifth and a sixth and went on until he lost track of how many and even though he was chained and in unknown territory he was smiling. For the first time since he contracted the illness he was breathing normally. His lungs didn’t hurt and he didn’t fear to take in air. He could have sobbed from pure happiness and he probably did. No chains and no empty prison room could have ruined his moment.

The question remained, however. What happened and how did the damage to his lungs get healed?

He tested his body, moving his arms and legs as much as he could and noted he still had his injuries from his fight and the swim in the river. Only his lungs were healed, everything else was left alone. Who would gain from that?

He didn’t receive his answers. Not until hours passed and his arms were on the verge of falling off his shoulders from hanging for so long. Steve occasionally nodded off, snapping back when he heard the faint noises of footsteps walking across upstairs. Or at least he figured there was an upstairs. Usually when prisoners were held it was done at the basement or very bottom of the building.

He was close to nodding off again when the creak of the door opening woke him. He jumped when he found a figure standing right in front of him. No noise whatsoever to alert him of the figures presence which caused his heart to jump.

The figure, a man by the looks of a strong chin and jawline, smirked, as if he heard Steve’s heart jump even though he did his best to not move a muscle. The man in front of him wore a long black coat that looked to reach the floor but never touched it. The coat had a collar that reached the man’s shoulders and his pants and boots shined with the same black color. The coat closed together with golden buttons running down the center.

Steve’s eyes snapped to the man’s face, the dark brown of his eyes watching him intently, as if he was looking further beyond what was physically capable. The eyes unnerved him. They burned through him harsher than any day of the summer, harsher than any fire. Steve found he wanted those eyes to never look away from him.

“Are you alone?”

Steve blinked. What a strange question to ask him. He was the only one chained in the room. “Are there other prisoners besides me?”

Something flashed in those dark eyes, narrowing on him like a predator does to its prey. A pale arm shot out and slammed right next to his head. Steve flinched violently, heart jumping up to his throat. He never saw the movement happen. One second the arm was by the man’s side and the next it was inches from smashing his face in. And from the way the wall seemed to gain the beginnings of cracks where the fingers touched he figured he’d be a dead man if the hand had made contact with him.

“For your sake, Human I suggest you answer the question and don’t antagonize me,” the man – no – the _thing_ said.

Steve tried backing away, desperate for distance but the stone wall prevented it. This thing was not human. No, it looked human, but no man was capable of breaking stone with their bare hands. It was a monster. It had to be.

He felt his heart stop and his body go cold. He was at the mercy of this creature with no way of escape and no chance of surviving.

“I ask again,” the creature growled, “ _Are_. _You_. _Alone_?”

Steve choked in a breath, “I – I d-don’t –” _I don’t know what you’re asking_ was what he meant to say but fear gripped his throat.

The creature looked to be losing patience, bearing his teeth in intimidation. Steve could see clear as day the sharp canines and his stomach dropped. The creature placed his other arm on the other side of his head and leaned in, resting on its elbow. The hand that broke the wall slowly, sensually, wrapped around his throat, fingers resting over his pulse. The face hovered near his own. Steve could feel the warm air it released on his cheek.

“Are there others out there waiting for you?” It whispered, face balanced to the side and near his ear.

There were people waiting for him. That was if they were still alive. Steve still had to go back but he saw no possible way of doing so now. Captured by a monster, it was the same as death.

The hand around his throat tightened slightly, waiting for an answer. Steve swallowed, feeling the movement transfer to the hand. “I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?” It repeated and tilted its head so its mouth gained better access to his throat, the still exposed side lacking fingers. Lips softly kissed the skin and Steve’s pulse raced. “I suggest you re-think your answer.”

The lips sucked on his skin, marking the flesh and Steve lost all control. He gasped when he felt the lips part and something sharp lightly poke the fragile surface. The fear he felt seconds ago melted away and was replaced by something hot and wanting. If this was how it went to be captured by a monster he wished it had happened sooner.

“Well?”

A shiver ran down his spine from the words echoing inside, running through his pulse. “If they’re still alive, yes,” he managed.

The mouth pulled back and he whined from the loss, “How many?”

A fog he hadn’t realized was there began to clear and he found his words. “T-three.”

“How did you find this place? Where are the others?” The face stared him down, brown eyes locked on blue.

“I don’t know.”

It growled, “Try again.”

“I don’t! I found this place by mistake, whatever this place is. I need to get back home –”

“And what? Tell the others so you can march up here with your armies?” The hand tightened, causing Steve to choke.

“I – I don’t… know… this p-place. _Please_ ,” Steve nearly cried. He wanted to go home, back to his friends. “I n-need to find t-them. I _need_ to make sure… if they’re _alive_.”

It looked to consider his words, searching for any deception. It seemed to accept his reasoning because right when Steve felt he was going to black out yet again the hand loosened and he greedily gulped down air.

“Where are you from, Human?”

Steve shook his head. He couldn’t reveal where he was from. If he did he might end up sealing his home’s fate by having a monster go down and kill them all.

The same hand that prevented his breathing softly grabbed his chin and raised it. “Where are you from?” It repeated. When Steve refused to answer it tried another tactic, “Are you from these lands?”

Steve trembled, “No. South. I’m from the south. I need to get back there. My friends, we were ambushed. Please, I need to see them.”

The hand pulled his head forward, closer to the creature. Their noses were inches away as the monster observed at him. The eyes were closely focused on him for a brief moment before they flashed. The creature was there but it seemed it wasn’t there mentally.

Steve was about to open his mouth and continue begging, hoping the monster had emotions and heart to release him, but before he could utter a word a loud shriek rang in his head. A high pitched shriek that was impossible for a human to make. He closed his eyes and pulled back. The shriek changed and, to Steve astonishment, turned into wails. Baby wails. Wails that were meant to come from babies when they were hungry or needed a change or were uncomfortable.

Steve pushed his head against his arm in an attempt to cover his ear and block the sound but it only seemed to make it worse. The noise wasn’t coming from outside but from inside his head. His eyes widened in confusion and when the sound became tolerable he looked at the monster, hoping for an explanation. What he found, instead, was the monster rubbing his face and taking steps back with a tired sigh. The spitting image of an exhausted parent.

“I put him down for a nap not half an hour ago.”

Steve didn’t know if the monster was saying that to him or was simply talking to himself. This new side he witnessed made the monster look and sound almost human. He needed that side. He could use that side to convince the monster to let him go. “Is he yours?”

The body snapped straight and those brown eyes narrowed dangerously, protectively, and also questioning. “He is,” with a sharp turn that caused the tail of the coat to fly the monster made for the door. “We’ll have to cut this short. Someone will come see to you in a bit.”

“Wait, no! Let me go, I can’t stay here. My friends could be dying,” Steve begged.

“Even if we released you the road to the Southern Lands is long. It will take you days.” The monster looked back one last time before closing the door. Those brown eyes softening and showing more in that one instant than during their entire prisoner-interrogator exchange.

Steve felt hope rise from that. Perhaps there was still a chance. But what the monster said regarding how long it would take to reach the Southern border, if it was true then there was absolutely no possibility Steve could make it in time if his friends were injured or dying. By the time he would get there it’d already be too late.

There was nothing left for him. Without his friends he was alone. There was no family back home, nothing waiting for him if he returned, nothing but the army and the war.

Accepting the words and the defeat he dropped his head. He had no home now. The room and chains held more purpose for him now than the journey back.

Staring at the ground Steve never noticed the wailing stop in his head, replaced by giggling and an emotion of happiness that didn’t belong to him reaching out.

~~

 

When Tony closed the door of the human’s room he had to lean back against the wall to regain himself. He had expected to enter the room and intimidate the human for the answers without trouble, but he had never expected to nearly lose control of himself and… seduce the human for it. When he felt the rapid pulse under his fingers, under his lips, he nearly gave in. Human blood was one of the most tainted and dense and just plain unsavory kind of blood out there and yet he nearly sank his teeth into this man’s neck.

His mouth watered from remembering how warm it felt, even through the flesh. Smell how it could taste. He could picture the red liquid in his mouth dancing around his tongue and coursing through him. He imagined the pleasurable face the human would make when his fangs pierced the soft flesh, the soft moans, his head pulling back to expose his neck further.

He licked his lips.

He needed to get away from the man. The pull made it difficult for him to walk, something wanting to drag him back into the room. He rushed down the halls, his hands twitching, itching to grab something, desperate to be placed over the pulse again.

He arrived in the room that housed the one that interrupted his dazed interrogation. He walked up to the crib and gazed down lovingly at his son. The little spoiled ball of chubby pink cheeks giggling up at him when he saw him.  Tony smiled and lifted him, holding him to his chest and rocking him.

“You just wanted attention, didn’t you, Peter?”

Peter toothlessly grinned, flapping his tiny bat-like wings excitedly and flicking his tiny tail back and forth. Tony felt an emotion flood his head that didn’t belong to him. A joyous and loving emotion. He reached out to the connection and sent back a disapproving sentiment. Peter’s grinned disappeared, his blue eyes going impossibly bigger and wider and he hid his face against the fabric of Tony’s coat.

“I told you reaching out and mentally connecting with others without permission is a big no-no, Peter,” Tony leaned down and kissed the little tuft of brown hair and sent a reassuring spike when he felt Peter’s guilt, “I’m not mad. I just worry. The connection could swallow you.”

Of course Peter was still too young to understand what Tony meant, but he was old enough to know how to avoid when he did something bad. Tony couldn’t fault him for wanting to reach out to others. The connection was something special, something to be cherished, but it was also intruding. Unless it was consensual Tony didn’t approve.

He still felt something related to sadness coming from Peter so he started bouncing him in his arms and sent him a playful emotion, grinning when Peter began giggling.

“You’re not projecting your joy to everyone in the building, are you, Little One?” Tony continued bouncing him.

Peter’s emotions didn’t change, signaling he didn’t acknowledge the question.

The thought reminded Tony about what happened in the human’s room. “Peter, did you connect to the human in the basement?”

Peter’s wings flapped and he closed his eyes. Tony felt recognition cross his mind, meaning that Peter knew of the human he was referring to, also meaning that Peter had indeed connected with the human. At least to show his displeasure when he woke up. As of right now, however, Tony didn’t know if he was connected or not. 

“Don’t do that. Don’t connect with that man, Peter. Who knows what could come out of it,” Tony said but Peter ignored him in favor of nuzzling his neck, mouthing the base where it connected. Pride filled him up. “Eager to have our first fang, aren’t we? It’ll happen soon, don’t rush it.”

Tony lifted his son up in the air. The sounds of laughter filled the room and Peter wiggled his tiny legs and arms and flapped his wings, pretending to fly. One day he will. One day Peter will grow into his wings and fly through the sky. Will grow his fangs and claws and horns and be every bit of an incubus and a vampire he was born to be.

No matter what side Peter chose, no matter who he took after from his parents, Tony would always love him, always be proud of him.

“I love you, Peter,” Tony nuzzled the little face.

When Peter settled down and looked to be taking the nap he should have been taking already Tony reached out for the siren of the house. He felt her walls that prevented any of her emotions from crossing over to him. To signal his presence he sent over a cautious spike, waiting for her response.

“ _Had your fair share of the human?_ ”

Tony exhaled. He caught her on a good mood. “ _I would have preferred it to last longer but Peter wanted attention_.”

“ _He always wants his father’s attention. What did you manage to get out of him?_ ”

“ _He’s from the Southern Lands. Managed to get himself over here and is now trying to return. According to his story he needs to find his friends. They appeared to have been ambushed and injured._ ” The walls came down and through their link Tony felt something that resembled disbelief.

“ _That is the story he decided on? I thought humans were more creative than that_.”

“ _There might be more to it,”_ Tony found himself saying. He didn’t necessarily believed the human’s story but certain aspects were present that favored it. _“His heart did not spike when he told his reasoning_.”

“ _Then he is a really good liar. Give me a minute with him and I’ll get the truth_.”

Tony chuckled, mentally sending it over. He received smugness in return. “ _I know you will, but there’s also the matter of how he was found and what he carried. There was water present in his lungs. What bodies of waters are nearby?”_

Who better to ask about the land’s waters than a siren? “ _There is a river miles away. Upon a certain point it turns dangerously close to the town. Your best bet is there if you’re suggesting the human somehow found us with that_.”

Tony received a mental image of the river from Natasha, showing exactly what she meant. The river was indeed a fair distance away but at a certain point it turned and curved to the right, making the distance a mile or two from the borders of the town. The good news was that it reached south, a deserted portion where only the mansion was present, meaning they could all intercept the humans before they reached the actual village. The bad news was that it still found them.

“ _This river_ ,” Tony worked through a thought, “ _how far does it go?_ ”

There was a short silence on the other end, a working understanding. Natasha didn’t like where his thought was going. “ _You think the human was somehow washed up to this land and managed to find us by accident?_ ”

The benefit of having the ability to mentally connect to others; he didn’t have to explain himself. “ _The river heads all the way to the Southern Lands, then? Does it wash upstream?_ ”

An annoyance spiked from Nat’s end, “ _It does, on both accounts. You truly believe this human’s story?_ ”

“ _A human doesn’t come searching for monsters carrying only one pocket knife and lungs filled with water, looking like he’d been tossed overboard. Also the armor. It’s nothing from what we’ve seen. The armor is not meant to defend against our kind. It’s meant to defend against their own._ ”

He felt a grumbling acceptance from the siren. “ _What are we to do with the human then, release him?_ ”

“ _I didn’t say that_.”

“ _I never knew you wanted a pet_.”

“ _Not me. I was thinking more towards Hank. He’s been wanting to study humans for so long I figured this could be his chance_.”

“ _The satyr has been itching to get his hands on human things. I saw him practically prancing his way down the hall yesterday,_ ” Natasha explained. 

“ _He heard of the human’s capture and asked if he could study this one’s belongings. That was him after I said yes. Bruce had to hold him back after he tried yanking the human’s armor while he was still tending him._ ”

“ _Impatient satyr. How does Jan put up with it?_ ”

“ _Fairies are patient beings._ ”

Nat snorted, “ _We’re thinking of a different fairy. Jan is just as impatient as Hank_.”

Tony laughed, grinning physically and unconsciously bouncing Peter who was still in his arms. “ _Just in case my theory is wrong about the human –_ ”

“ _You still want me to go down there and ask questions_.”

“ _Be easy on him. I don’t want him damaged, otherwise I’ll never hear the end of it from Hank,_ ” even though Tony mentally said it he knew Natasha was seeing through it, literally. He never learned or figured out how the siren managed to set up walls to prevent transferring more than what was necessary and the siren wasn’t sharing her secrets.

It was eerily devoid of emotions on her end when she said, “ _Never figured you’d come to care about a human._ ”

“ _I don’t care about him_ ,” Tony snapped, “ _I just understand the feeling of not knowing if a friend is injured and still alive._ ”

“ _Sympathy is the seed to the making of caring._ ”

“ _It won’t go any further than that._ ”

“ _Once the seed is planted you can’t stop it from growing_.”

“ _Then I’ll cut it_ ,” Tony said sharply, not realizing his voice and his emotions were of complete opposite and opposed themselves.

Natasha wisely didn’t continue the subject but she did send over a sensation of a gentle hand being placed on his arm. Tony instinctively looked to it, seeing nothing but feeling the awareness.

“ _I’m outside his door. I’ll make sure to keep him in one piece,_ ” Natasha said after a while, their connection still open.

“ _When you’re done can you send Bruce or Hank over to bring him food and water and unlock the chains?_ ” Tony was now sitting on one of his chairs he placed for when Peter refused to settle down for the long hours of the night. His baby incubi and vampire was still resting, face buried inside his coat while his hands clutched the fabric. “ _But only do that if his story proves to be true,_ ” Tony added as an afterthought.

She didn’t respond right away and continued not to respond long after that. Tony waited patiently, figuring that she started her interrogation on the human right after he sent her the request. Right now he imagined she was in the middle of using her voice to lure the human into a false state of safety and reassurance and right when he least expected it she would strike. Natasha would get the answers from the man. The beauty about sirens, they always get what they’re looking for.

Tony was in the middle of running a finger gently on his son’s still developing wing when she finally spoke again, “ _Did you claim this human as your own?_ ”

He jumped on his seat and sat up straight, managing to luckily not wake his son, “ _What?_ ”

“ _I walked into the human’s room and it reeked of you everywhere. I couldn’t figure out where it was coming from until I got closer to him. He stinks completely of you. Did you mark him?_ ”

“ _No?_ ” Tony was confused and he knew Natasha felt the genuine emotion.

“ _He’s got you written all over him, Tony. He might as well should have a giant sign saying ‘Property of Tony Stark’ on him. Who knew you were so territorial._ ”

Tony felt embarrassed and from the way Natasha sent over a laugh he knew she felt it, too. “ _I didn’t do it on purpose, if that’s what you’re implying._ ”

“ _No, of course you didn’t. You just decided to get up close and personal and rub yourself all over him. You realize he has a mark on his neck?_ ”

Now Tony truly wished he could disappear and hide for the rest of his life. He didn’t know what had happened in the room. All he knew was that he nearly lost control and bit the human. Kissing his neck wouldn’t have left a mark, would it?

“ _You know I can practically feel you blushing, if you still could. Was this your first time trying to seduce someone? If you need advice I’d be happy to give pointers._ ”

“ ** _Romanov,_** ” Tony covered his face in an attempt to hide. He heard Natasha laugh on the other end. “ _What did you learn?_ ”

“ _I’ll leave you alone then. I’ve had my fun. He said the same story as yours. He is from the Southern Lands, ended up far north than he should have. He wants to go back to find his friends and make sure they’re still alive from an ambush that apparently knocked him out and caused him to fall in a river. That’s where your theory comes in. He might have ended up falling in the river that runs upstream and got washed up here._ ” Natasha considered this, “ _He said he followed the river in an attempt to head back. Must have decided to camp the night right when the river curved right and the mansion was within walking distance._ ”

“ _And that’s where I found him near the main road. He bolted when he heard me and ran up towards the mansion. He was looking for shelter,_ ” Tony concluded when he remembered how the human ran straight for the mansion and knocked the door open. If he was truly hunting for monsters or searching for their home he wouldn’t purposely enter a place that housed them.

“ _So he got spooked from you and tried to run away,_ ” Natasha hummed, “ _There might be trouble in paradise._ ”

“ _You said you’d leave it alone_ ,” Tony groaned.

“ _It’s been years since you’ve shown interest in anyone. This is a perfect opportunity, I will not let it go to waste. It’s going to be the talk of the mansion. Though I question your taste. The man is attractive, I can see why you went on the hunt, but a human? Surely there must be other vampires or succubuses out there._ ”

“ _There is going to be no talk in this mansion, do you understand? Nothing is going on between that human and I and nothing will. It was just a spur of the moment and it won’t happen again,_ ” Tony growled.

“ _Sure,_ ” Natasha replied, obviously not caring for the threat.

From her side Tony could feel her talking physically to someone. “ _You’re telling the others already, aren’t you?_ ”

“ _So far I’ve run into Clint, Pepper, Jan, Thor and Bruce. Thor sends his congratulations and Bruce also questions your choices. Clint said it’s about time. He’s off to tell Pietro and Wanda. Oh look, there’s T’Challa._ ”

“ _Natasha!_ ”

An anxious silence and then, “ _He also sends his congratulations. He says you claiming the human will help get rid of the smell but he wants to remind you of your duties. Don’t let this distract you._ ”

“ _I am finished with all of you._ ”

“ _Loki says you could have chosen better._ ”

“ _Enough!_ ” Tony shouted as best as he could through his head, “ _Tell Bruce to tend to the human and ask T’Challa if he could complete my rounds. I’ll be busy with Peter tonight_.”

“ _Should Bruce bring the human some clothes or keep him as he is?_ ” She poked, sending the image of the almost-naked human from how she remembered. Tony got a clear view of the well toned chest all over again.

Tony shut the connection before another emotion rose in him. He leaned his head back against the frame of the seat and looked at the ceiling. For a bunch of monsters who were extremely cautious about humans and show their disdain they were far too calm and accepting of this, whatever this was.

“Fools, all of them,” Tony said and leaned down to lay a gentle kiss on the little tuft of hair on his son’s head. “Nothing will come out of it,” he promised, “and even if it did he’s a human and I a vampire. The human will never belong here. He has a home to get back to and friends. He’ll leave in the end.” Tony squeezed his son gently.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The teaser is now official. I'm having a lot of fun writing these chapters. All the monster possibilities and how personalities change from it are endless. There will be some ooc-ness, so advance warning there.


	3. The Plan

Steve laid on the bed he first thought he was never going to use. It was surprisingly soft and comfy and made from materials that could only come from the very clouds themselves compared to the ratty old mattress he had at home. Or the make-shift beds he used while camping in the army.

For a room that was used to hold prisoners it was extremely comfortable.

He turned his head and eyed the chunk of the wall that was used to hold him up in chains. Where the chains were connected to giant nails that penetrated the wall there were now holes. One hole that held the nail connecting the two chains for his arms and two on the bottom that held the nail connected to the ankle chains.

Steve still couldn’t believe the holes were present and the chains gone. After the creature with the dark eyes and black coat left he remained chained up in the room for a while until a lady who wasn’t really a lady arrived. The lady had red hair and green eyes and a sharp face while wearing an outfit that looked like robes made from the softest silk. Steve almost believed her to be human if it weren’t for her skin. The skin, a pale silver color with enough pink to show her alive, had markings run across from them in a pattern similar to that of scales. She – no, another creature – had them on the arms, running up to the shoulders and on the face. The scales started where the hair changed to skin and went down to the center. The creature’s nose and cheekbones were scale free but its neck down to its chest were not. 

Whatever hope he felt when he first saw it thinking she was human was shot down, like an arrow piercing its target. It asked questions just like the first creature but instead of using intimidation it used a calming demeanor. The creature’s voice was gentle, lulling him into a false sense of security.  He ended up answering all its questions without much of a struggle, only realizing his mistake after it left. He couldn’t believe that had happened. Monsters were truly dangerous, they could get anything they wanted without a fight. But he was thankful at least the questions weren’t invasive or anything. It merely asked the same thing the first creature did.

Shortly after it left another third one appeared. This one was intimidating on sight and scruffy, hair everywhere. It snarled upon seeing Steve. showing off extremely sharp canines, but otherwise didn’t do anything besides yanking off the nails from the wall with its bare hands. It removed them without struggle, as if it was removing simple cloth. It carried a key also, unlocking Steve’s chains and then gave him a sniff which made it grimaced and muttered a “He just had to go for a human,” before walking out the room, chains in hand.

Steve took a deep breath, still marveling at the fact that he could. It almost felt like ages since the last time he managed to take air without coughing. He was thankful for it but he was still trying to figure out how he got healed. He still had the damage when he woke up from the river, he remembered that. It was waking up imprisoned that all of a sudden the damage was gone. Sure he still had his injuries, but those healed. Internal damage caused from an illness, that was something completely different.

Waking up in chains with his lungs healed, that could only mean one thing.

These monsters healed him.

What Steve couldn’t figure out was why? Why would monsters heal him? Why would they even care? More importantly, how could monsters even heal?

Monsters were supposed to be creatures out for human blood. They hunted and killed and murdered. According to the rumors back home at least.

Now, he wasn’t so sure.

If monsters killed on sight then why was he still alive? Brainless monsters that only knew to hunt wouldn’t capture him or know how to heal him or even interrogate him for information. They would have ended him the moment he stepped in their land.

Monsters also wouldn’t have a home. A human home with the doors and windows and a room with a bed. Especially not the room with the bed having expensive and soft blankets.

The bed was doing wonders on his back. Tense muscles he didn’t know he had felt as if they were just melting away, shedding right off. His bruises he barely felt and his body was becoming a puddle of relaxation.

Relaxing in a monster’s home. What had his world come to?

If this was how he was to spend his days before the monsters decide to finally kill him Steve would willingly enjoy it until the fateful day.

For now, however, he really wanted clothes, or at least trousers. He felt extremely exposed with his only source of clothing his shorts that barely hid anything. He used the bed’s blanket to wrap around his shoulders and hide whatever he could. They were warm and soft and left him almost purring when he laid on the bed and had them pressing against his skin.

Now if he was given any food to enjoy while laying in temporary bliss he wouldn’t mind staying a prisoner.

He heard the click and loud ‘clank’ of the door opening and closing and he jumped up, pressing himself against the wall the bed was pushed into. He tightened the blanket around himself when he the figure walking inside and towards him. This one was obviously a monster, if the upper half of a human body connecting with the lower half of what looked like a goat gave it away. It wore a long green sleeveless shirt that reached all the way down to its legs, a belt wrapping around where he figured the waist was.

Unlike the first three though this one was smiling at him, eyes bright and goat-ears twitching. In its arms it held folded clothing. When it noticed Steve looking at the clothes he offered them.

“I didn’t know what exact size you are but these should fit you. They might be on the large size though but we can adjust it for you if you want,” it said.

Steve eyed the monster and the clothing warily.

The monster placed them on the edge of the bed when Steve didn’t move and then lifted its hands up in a non-threatening gesture, as if trying not to scare a skittish deer.

Steve felt kind of grateful for that. It meant the monster understood and was trying to accommodate him, show it meant no harm. It eased his fear about monsters being brainless and bloodthirsty.

“I’m Hank, Hank Pym,” the monster introduced. It waved a hand and Steve caught sight of leathered hand braces. “I’m not sure if the others have said anything but, huh, welcome… I think. I’m not really sure what they’re going to do with you but at least you’re not in chains, right?”

Steve blinked a couple of times at that, not really knowing how to respond.

The monster - Hank - coughed awkwardly, “So I’m actually supposed to be bringing you food, and I know the basics, but what do you eat? From what I’ve seen humans eat deer and chicken and boar and sometimes they eat insects. We have all that except the insects but we can go searching for some. We also have fruits and bread and grass. Bruce likes to eat the deer raw and Pepper likes to eat it cooked. What about you? Raw or cooked? Or do you prefer fruits or insects or grass?”

Steve opened and closed his mouth. Insects? Grass? _Raw_?

Monsters actually eat game? Rumors said monsters eat nothing but humans.

Had it all been wrong?

“Cooked,” Steve managed to say.

“Cooked? Great! What kind do you want? We have from deer to rabbits to chickens. We have fish, too. I’ve seen humans fish with those poles and wires. They’re fascinating. Do you happen to have one or know to make one?”

“I- I don’t. Sorry. Don’t you have any?” Steve wondered. How would monsters hunt?

Hank grinned, “No, not those poles with wires. When we hunt for fish we use nets. Throw them in the water and wait for the fish to swim close. Saves time catching them in groups instead of one by one. With Natasha helping it’s really easy.”

“We have those, too,” Steve quickly said. “We use nets, too.”

“Incredible. How long have you been using nets?” Hank eagerly asked. From behind him Steve caught a glance at Hank’s tail flicking back and forth with his excitement.

“I don’t really know. Nets were being used before I was born.”

“Interesting. Perhaps you took the idea to use nets from us or perhaps we took the idea to use nets from you,” Hank scratched his head in thought. Steve noted the two horns coming out of his head and curving near his ears. “How else do you fish? Do you use a sharpened staff and strike at the fish? How about baiting? Have you found ways to bait fish into a spot and trap them in a way? Do you also use nets on land game?”

Steve, swarmed by the numerous questions that didn’t seem to stop, held his hands up in order to stop Hank. “Slow down there. I don’t really have the answers to all that. If you mean that we spear fish then yes. Some of us. I don’t think we’ve found a way to bait fish and trap them somewhere, at least not back home. Hunting deers or other game it’s usually with arrows. We use nets when some game are in herds but that’s when we’re hunting in large numbers.”

It was then that he realized… Steve was exchanging information with the monster, with Hank, about how humans hunted for food. Wouldn’t monsters want to find out other things that humans did? Weaknesses? Or maybe Hank was trying to figure out how humans hunted so these monsters could go and compromise the game. Starve them away.

Without Steve noticing Hank had folded his goat legs and was sitting on the ground with his legs crossed, looking at Steve as if he held the answer to the world. Steve felt both flattered and uncomfortable.

“Do you only hunt for your food or do you keep some near your home? I’ve heard that humans actually keep certain animals to provide for their needs. Most of those being cows and chickens.”

Steve hesitated. It was a simple question that he could answer but what if the monster truly was gathering information to end humans? But no, just confirming if they had livestock shouldn’t suddenly burn down a village, right?

Hank waited unfazed, eagerly wanting to hear the answer. When he noticed Steve was having an internal battle he apparently went ahead and revealed his half. “We do that. We actually have a large number of cows and chickens and ducks. We make cheese. You make cheese as well, correct? What about wine? I always see humans drinking something close to it and I even managed to get my hands on one bottle but it tasted foul. It wasn’t even remotely close to wine.”

Information for information, right? If monsters found ways to attack them through their food so could Steve. “We have cheese and wine. We don’t drink it all the time, though. More beer and ale. Everyone prefers that.”

The tail flicked again, “What about the cows and chickens? Do you have them together or individually?”

“Individually I guess, unless you have a big land. Families have up to two cows and four chickens. At least some do.” Steve wasn’t part of the lucky family that owned their own cows or goats or chickens.

“Really?” Hank tilted his head, thinking. “If only some families own stock does your entire town still get their share? Is it enough to give each house milk and eggs?”

Steve frowned, “What do you mean their share? No, only families who own cows and chickens get their milk and eggs. They can either keep it for themselves or they can sell it. Families who don’t own any have to buy it from the market.”

Hank also frowned, “So your entire town doesn’t get their share? If we didn’t have any livestock does that mean we’d have to buy milk and eggs from the market?”

“Basically. Do you not do that?”

“No, everyday the families that take care of the cattle and chicken farms make a trip around and give families those. Tell me about buying in the market. We have a market but we don’t buy.”

“You don’t buy?” Steve asked, surprised.

Hank nodded, “No. We trade, bargain. We exchange goods with goods. How do you buy? How does it work?”

“Well, we, huh,” Steve swallowed. Monsters had a market but instead of buying they exchanged items? “What do you trade exactly?” He diverted. If what he was thinking was true with trade then that meant these monsters traded wanted items with other wanted items instead of exchanging items for coin. Coin, that really held no purpose once you had it in your hand.

If Hank noticed how obviously he avoided answering the question he allowed it and said nothing, “We exchange for items we want. Say I want that blanket you have wrapped around you and you have it out in the market. We talk and bargain. You find I have clothes you need and we agreed to trade. I get the blanket and you get the clothes. Simple.”

Yeah, it was exactly how Steve thought.

“How does buying work?” Hank repeated.

“It’s… we buy the items. I want those clothes that you have and I’m carrying coin with me. You name your prize and I give you that amount in coin for the clothes,” Steve looked down.

Hank waited, thinking. “What are coin?”

“They’re this little circles made of gold.”

“Gold! We have plenty of gold. We make items out of them. Mostly jewelry. The same with silver and iron but none of that is kept in town.”

“Right, we create jewelry too. Mostly the gold goes to creating coin.”

“What do you do with coin? Is it for decorating? Helping create items?”

“Coin… isn’t really used for anything besides getting items. We just carry it in our pockets and try to collect as much as we can. If you have a lot of gold you can afford many things,” Steve looked down after finishing the last sentence. He hoped the monster - _Hank_ \- got the clue without him having to say anything.

The monster did, “Collect a lot to afford many things,” Hank frowned. “If you do not collect a lot or have enough do you not buy items?”

“No,” he all too familiar with that feeling.

“But how can you get the food necessary if you don’t have enough?”

Steve shrugged helplessly, “You don’t.”

Hank’s eyes opened wide, “Even when someone goes hungry?”

A nod, “Even then.”

“That’s - that’s -” Hank looked stunned, “that’s… an interesting handle on exchange,” he finished, not meaning a single word of it. Steve felt grateful that he didn’t point out the brutality of it. To think, families would go hungry because they didn’t have enough gold circles that served no purpose besides it being shiny and made pockets grow.

Now that Steve was actually questioned about it he realized how strange the system worked. He imagined how his life would be different if instead of coin they were able to exchange with other items. Perhaps maybe his childhood would have been kinder on him and his mother. Just maybe.

Steve took multiple breaths, the sensation of being able to do so without coughing still foreign to him. Hank studied him intently, his eyes focused on his chest. It made Steve feel at odd and he quickly brought up the blanket to cover himself.

Hank didn’t notice, “Are you in pain?”

“No.”

“Then why do you breathe irregularly like that. I thought Bruce and Pepper healed you.”

“Uh,” Bruce and Pepper? Were those other people in the same situation as him? Or were they other monsters? “Are they the ones responsible for healing me?” 

“They are, for the damage in your lungs that is. Anything else was left alone.”

“Can I ask why?”

Hank tilted his head, reminding Steve that of a dog trying to comprehend an order or a question. He figured with the monster he was at least thinking over what he asked, if not then Steve didn’t know what tilting his head meant.

“Did you not want to be healed?”

That answered that, then, “No, I meant why did you heal my lungs but not my bruises?”

“Oh!” Hank made a motion with his hands by balling one up and slamming it against his open palm of the other. “We only focused on the major injuries. Bruises are small and heal quickly but damage internally not so much. If they bother you I can get you something to help heal those, too.”

“No, no, thank you. I’m -” _internally grateful for what you have done and giving me back my air_. “Thank you.”

The monster gave a nod, “You’re welcome,” then his face went blank and he blindly stared at the wall behind Steve’s face. Confused, Steve was about to lean forward and wave a hand in front of Hank’s face but Hank jumped suddenly on his hooved feet, forcing Steve back.

“I was so focused on learning about humans that I didn’t even realize it’s dinner time. You never did answer what you eat. What would you like?” The big innocent smile Hank gave him somehow reassured Steve that whatever he said he wanted to eat he believed the monster wasn’t going to poison the food.

With a home like this, a mansion, Steve imagined what the dinner table would look like. He imagined a long table straining under the weight of a wide selection of food ranging from steaming deer that looked mouthwatering to cups and mugs filled with water or wine or even beer. Vegetables and fruits everywhere and perhaps even a candle or five decorating the center. It was a grand sight and Steve’s stomach rumbled in response. Since joining the army he hadn’t had a proper big and homey meal that only domestic bliss could create.

He figured since he was a prisoner and the monster _was_ asking what he wanted to eat, Steve could go big with the request. Then again he didn’t trust these monsters yet. He went with reasonable instead.

“Anything cooked, really. Any game you have would be fine with me,” that was reasonable, right?

Hank nodded, “Venison, then?”

He felt his mouth water just from the word. “That’s fine,” he said rather quickly and had to fight a blush when Hank smirked.

“We’ll go ahead and season it up for you. I’m sure Bruce knows some delicious ingredients that would make that venison worth fighting for. Would you like water or wine to drink? How about fruits? Vegetables?”

Steve wanted to nod at it all. “Water is fine and fruits and vegetables, too.”

“I’ll be back shortly.”

When the monster left Steve sighed and curled around the blanket wrapped around him. When he woke up he had thought he understood his situation. He was a prisoner to monsters. His life was in their hands and they were going to torture him and weren’t going to stop until he took his final breath. Or at least that was how it was supposed to go. Now, however, experiencing it firsthand, he didn’t understand what was going to happen to him. The monsters held him in a room, but he was free to walk around it instead of being chained up. He even had a _bed_. Being a prisoner meant being held against his will in an undignified manner, meaning hardly any clothes, if no clothes at all. Instead, the monsters brought him a new set that looked comfortable and - Steve reached out to touch the folded clothing - yes, the clothes were very soft. The monsters were supposed to starve him, not sparing a single bite of their food, and yet here was Hank asking him what he wanted, even offering wine.

So far the monsters were doing the exact opposite of what Steve expected. Was that their play? Were they luring him in by showing hospitality, waiting for the opportune moment to finish him off?

From the way Hank kept asking him questions and studying his behavior he felt more as if he was an animal being studied. Could it be that the monsters were curious of humans? Were they trying to get knowledge just for the sake of it? Did monsters even value knowledge? Steve honestly didn’t know anymore. Everything he believed was being tested.

All Steve knew was how to fight and survive. He had no idea what the first step was in being a monster’s pet and how to escape.

A while later, when Hank showed up with a tray filled with venison and apples and cabbage and carrots with two mugs, one filled with water and the other with wine, Steve found that maybe he didn’t want to escape any time soon.

If they were going to trap him with hospitality until the right moment to finish him off arrived then Steve was all for it.

~~

 

Tony narrowed his eyes on the hallway connecting down to the basement where Hank disappeared carrying food for the human. The satyr was far too happy from talking with the man and the tray he took off with had far too much food for someone who was technically considered a prisoner. Leave it to Hank to get attached with something he was studying and go above and beyond in order to satisfy.

A tiny hand pulled at his coat and Tony looked down to Peter who was puffing his cheeks in displeasure. Tony quickly placed the small, rubbery opening of the horn back into his mouth and Peter suckled eagerly, occasionally having the animal blood trickle out and run down his almost non-existing chin.

With Peter satisfied again Tony snapped his eyes back to the hallway, waiting for the satyr to return. For the longest time he didn’t move, even when half of the house was in the same room as him and were setting up the grand table with food and drink. He was standing in the dining room, next to his favorite chair, and not helping one bit. His hands were busy, he had an excuse.

He felt a flick at the back of his head and heard a “You know you could always go down and see the human if you’re jealous of Hank going down and spending time with him.”

Tony groaned and faced Pepper, “Not you, too.”

Pepper shrugged, “It’s been awhile since anything interesting happened in this mansion, and this is _you_ we’re talking about. We didn’t think you’d ever find anyone again, after what happened with -”

“ _Please_ Pep, let’s not go there,” Tony looked down and stared at Peter, not realizing his eyes was revealing more than what he intended to Pepper.

Her eyes softened and she placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, “You know you deserve happiness, right, Tony? No matter what you keep telling yourself you really do.”

“Everyone deserves happiness, Pep,” Tony stated.

“Yes, but right now this is about you,” Pepper looked thoughtful. “The others, we’ve been thinking -”

“Sounds dangerous.”

Pepper ignored him, “We’ve been thinking that, even if he’s a human, we’ll support you. Natasha, Pietro and Loki have stated their opinion of your choices but if it makes you happy then they’ll put up with it. Even Rhodey said he’ll help if you need pointers to get back in the game.”

“How noble,” Tony muttered darkly.

“Play nice,” Pepper said sternly. “This is Natasha _and_ Loki we’re talking about. You’ll need their approval if you want to make this work.”

“I _don’t_ want to make this work, Pepper. He’s a human. He has no place among us and I’m certainly not going to force him to stay for my sake. Who knows what kind of panic he’ll bring to the town if word got out a human is staying.”

“You’ll be surprised. You’ve done so much for all of us I’m sure they’ll gladly return the favor anyway they could. Even if it means putting up with a human.”

“Pepper,” Tony looked at her with serious eyes, “we don’t even know if this human is harmless or not. Even if he isn’t he’s not going to stay. I’ll make sure of that.”

“Tony you’re not that barbaric animal you think yourself out to be.”

“No, but my kind has sure done a number for us to get that title.”

Pepper sighed, “That’s them, not you. Don’t define yourself because of their actions.” When Tony didn’t respond or looked to have gotten the message in his head she went for another tactic. “By your logic I’m no better than you. My kind place curses on the innocent and we eat human children for dinner while using goat heads to decorate our home.”

Tony’s head snapped straight and he glared, “Don’t say that, Pepper. You’re nothing like that.”

“And neither are you,” Pepper repeated with her own glare.

“Animal or not that doesn’t change the fact that he will run. We’re monsters to him, Pep. He will take everything we do as a sign against him. Earn his confidence and strike when he least expects it, or something. If I don’t scare him the idea of being in a place with all of us will. Besides, he has a home out there and friends waiting for him,” Tony sighed. “I know what you and the others are trying to do and I want you all to stop. I know you’re looking out for me and I’m touched, really, but I don’t want anything to come out of this and it’s none of your business. Once we’re absolutely sure the human means us no harm he will leave.”

Pepper frowned, looking away.

“He _will_ leave, Pep. That’s final,” Tony repeated as an order.

“I heard you, Tony.”

With that Tony walked away, Peter still in his arms. Pepper watched him go and once he disappeared she shook her head disappointedly.

“What did our resident vampire say?” Natasha appeared besides her.

“He wants the human gone once we’re absolutely sure he’s harmless,” Pepper informed.

“Once we’re sure he’s harmless, huh?” Clint flew in and landed on her other side. Bruce, Rhodey, and Thor followed suit, taking up spots behind her.

From the spot where Tony disappeared Wanda and Pietro walked through and made their way towards the slowly expanding group. The two elves, with their sharp ears, had probably heard everything. They were followed by a floating Jan, her clear fairy wings flapping quietly and she landed with a soft ‘thump’ somewhere in the group. From somewhere behind the group a hiss was heard followed by the sounds of slithering and Loki took his spot next to Thor, the naga’s sharp eyes fixed to where everyone was facing.

Shortly after Hank appeared from the basement looking confused when he spotted the group gathering. He had no idea what was happening but after living with this particular set of folk he knew to simply follow the crowd. He’d eventually get his answers.

“So, Tones wants to fight this?” Rhodey asked, not looking away from where Tony disappeared to.

“He does,” Pepper nodded.

“Do we want him to fight it?” Jan asked, still floating in the air.

They all exchanged a look, each silently agreeing with the answer, even Hank, who was slowly getting the idea of why they were gathering.

“No,” said Pepper, Clint, Jan, Bruce and Pietro. The others deciding on shaking their heads.

“Are we absolutely certain Anthony wants this human?” Loki asked with a casual hiss.

“Aye, Brother, he does. Our dear Anthony has gotten that spark of life in his eyes,” Thor said with a flicker of his tail.

“Thor is right,” Natasha agreed. “Tony cares about the human, if only a little. He just needs the extra push.”

Without muttering a word they all agreed what that push was going to be.

“But are we sure the human would even want Tony?” Pietro asked the all important question.

There was hesitation on all their parts.

“That might be an issue,” Wanda said for them.

“Issues can be solved if you know how to handle them,” Natasha said. “Tony won’t help us, obviously, but we can work around that. The human, on the other hand, we need to work up slowly. It’s clear he is still frightened of us but if we show him the truth and show Tony as well then maybe, just maybe.”

“Failure isn’t something we do,” Clint said, shuffling his feathers.

“Then we better make sure it doesn’t happen.”

“Tony said he wants the human gone once we know if he’s harmless,” Pietro reminded them.

“I don’t know about you but I need to watch of this human for a few more days in order to decide that,” Clint gained a grin.

“Same here,” Natasha added.

“I third that,” Bruce muttered, bearing his fangs in a way that meant support.

“We better be absolutely sure this human means no harm to us,” Pepper finished, already thinking of ways to get started, and with the others behind her helping, well, Tony and this human won’t know what hit them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's always fun having other monsters meddle in your affairs.

**Author's Note:**

> No beta, sorry for mistakes.


End file.
